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"Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy—and How To Increase Your Share Of This Crucial Market" by Lisa Johnson & Andrea Learned

Written by: Kevin Lee

Article Overview: Johnson and Learned provide an insightful look into how women want brands to communicate to them, how brands should listen, and what women really want. Rating: 4/5

"Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy—and How To Increase Your Share Of This Crucial Market" by Lisa Johnson & Andrea Learned

Let's face it. Unless you've been buried under a rock, you know that women make or influence more than 80% of all consumer purchases in the US, and that "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" (Book 7) is being released on July 21, 2007:) But what you might not know is how to market to women or what women want as consumers. And for those of us in the dark, Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned's first book "Don't Think Pink" offers valued insight into this all important subject.

From the start, the authors warn against using stereotypes and antiquated assumptions of "pink thinking", which include placing pastels and flowers on packaging or producing "'lighter' versions of original products, in a quick-fix effort to appeal to" women (pg. VII). Instead, the book teaches that companies have the option of using visible, transparent or hybrid marketing campaigns to make their products and services compelling and relevant to women. However, Johnson and Learned believe that transparent marketing campaigns are the best approach since they "meet women's needs without labeling the product or service exclusively for women" (pg. 16) and actually attract more male consumers as well. For example, Home Depot's transparent campaign includes creating a "showroom feel" with wider shopping aisles and brighter lighting to help women visualize their offerings in context (pg. 53).

In addition, "Don't Think Pink" emphasizes how women online switch shopping styles with men (pg. 19), a well-told story can help women picture your product or service in context (pg. 56), meeting women where they are is the only place to gain their trust and "give them a new view of your wares" (pg. 26), time is today's most valuable currency (pg. 70), "solo women will regularly take a friend’s advice over anything (including your advertising messages)" (pg. 118), and women should be segmented by their values and attitudes rather than traditional demographics (pg. 114). The book also stresses the importance of enlisting women as your marketing partners and says "the fastest and most accurate way to learn what your women customers want is to ask them, listen carefully and see your brand through their eyes" (pg. 199 & 200). So when in doubt, don't be afraid to ask (like Kevin James' character in the movie "Hitch";)

Bottom Line: "Don't Think Pink" answers the question of what women really want from a brand; women want their lives made easier and to get more out of their time (pg. 176). So in the spirit of Lisa Johnson's philosophy, BuzzAroundBooks.com isn't selling an online book community; it's selling "connections, experience and education" ("Do It Herself Video" http://www.reachgroupconsulting.com/reach-women/ ). As a result, I feel that anyone who is planning on marketing to these powerful consumers should read this book. Its cost is a small price to pay for the money it'll probably save your business in the long run.

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Re: What Do Women Entrepreneurs Want? - [quote="Tami Szabo":1ya8y88l]Shri, I really appreciate what you said. When we place the blame elsewhere, we give our power away. However, when we look at ourselves and our our ability to create the lives and businesses that we want, we empower ourselves. Kevin asked what I'd like to see with this forum and I think you and I are on the same page. I want to see this as a community of intelligent women where we inspire each other to think bigger and open up to the great possibilities for ourselves and our businesses. I truly believe each one of us women has great talent and potential. When we stop comparing ourselves with others and simply focus on succeeding at being the amazing women we already are, we give ourselves permission to grow forward in incredible ways. Fear takes a back seat because it's not about impressing others, but simply expressing who we already are. Since we're all great women, we have nothing to prove. I desire to see this forum as a safe place to share our plans and invite the best of each other forward. Let's set a precedence of not measuring our value against other women or men. We are not a threat to each other! Imagine the powerful force we will be if we learn to come together and keep inviting each one to reveal her great talents. With much warmth and sincerity, Tami[/quote:1ya8y88l] I like Shri's comments as well because people who complain a lot only make themselves look bad rather than their subject matter. And Tami, when you said that you have a "desire to see this forum as a safe place to share our plans and invite the best of each other forward" it reminded me of the book "Don't Think Pink" by Lisa Johnson & Andrea Learned. In that book, the authors share your sentiments by saying "Hosting a forum through which your women customers can share their stories with one another...women will remember the brand that helped them find a solution-oriented community, and they will remain loyal and very likely spread the word about it to their friends” ("Don't Think Pink" 73).
Re: Ideas For Business - Hello Lucy, you may consider this list for Ideas for Business: (Top 23 list) Rank Company 1 Google 2 Genentech 3 Wegmans Food Markets 4 Container Store 5 Whole Foods Market 6 Network Appliance 7 S.C. Johnson & Son 8 Boston Consulting Grp. 9 Methodist Hospital Sys. 10 W.L. Gore & Associates 11 Cisco Systems 12 David Weekley Homes 13 Nugget Market 14 Qualcomm 15 American Century Invest. 16 Starbucks Coffee 17 Quicken Loans 18 Station Casinos 19 Alston & Bird 20 QuikTrip 21 Griffin Hospital 22 Valero Energy 23 Vision Service Plan
Re: Businesswomen in the news - Hey hey hey....Calm down. What you are forgetting and the press isnt taking into consideration the rise of entrepreneurship. Women arent leaving the workforce, they are starting their own workforces... A few years ago I was president of the Canadian Association of Women Executives. I got a call from Global National who wanted a comment on the fact that women were leaving corporate Canada in droves....and what did I think about it......was it the glass ceiling etc.. Well, its because women are flocking to entrepreneurship but ladies, that doesnt make the news. the media is looking for information that will prove their 'the economy is in a slump'.... It simply isnt true. There are more women starting and running their own businesses than we've ever seen. Dont forget that the media is out for the media and scare tactics and bad news gets the coverage.... J
My reading log - Hi OmnivoreInk, Before starting my business, I read the following books as research: -"The Art of the Start" by Guy Kawasaki -"The AdSense Code" by Joel Comm -"Don't Think Pink" and "Mind Your X's and Y's" by Lisa Johnson And since then I've continued my "research" by reading (in this order): -"Technical Tennis" by Rod Cross -"For One More Day" by Mitch Albom -"The Twits" by Roald Dahl -"Little Black Book of Connections" by Jeffrey Gitomer -"The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne -"The Profitable Retailer" by Doug Fleener -"Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell -"Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude" by Jeffrey Gitomer -"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis -"Little Green Book of Getting Your Way" by Jeffrey Gitomer -"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling And I'm currently reading and am in the process of finishing the following: -"There's No Such Thing as Public Speaking" by Jeanette and Roy Henderson -"The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell -"The Book of Tells" by Peter Collett -"Little Red Book of Sales Answers" by Jeffrey Gitomer -"Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience" by Jonathan M. Tisch -"The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" by Julia Cameron -"The Inner Game of Tennis" by Timothy Gallwey
Books for Women Entrepreneurs - There's a thread for good books in the Resources folder, but it doesn't target books for businesswomen particularly, so I figured I'd start such a thread here. It doesn't matter how successful you are in your business - it's always possible to learn something new. In subsequent posts I give Table of Contents and brief descriptions for various titles - most of them devoted to the businesswoman - and sometimes a review. If anyone else has read a review, or has read the book and found it useful, please comment! 1. The Old Girl's Network 2. Mother's Work 3. The 7 Greatest Truths About Successful Women 4. Pitch Like A Girl 5. Workplace Warrior 6. Treasure Hunt: Inside the Mind of the Modern Consumer 7. Contingency Planning & Disaster Recovery 8. She Wins, You Win 9. Napoleon On Project Management 10. Why Good Girls Dont' Get Ahead, But Gutsy Girls Do 11. Comeback Moms: How to Leave Work, Raise Children, and Restart your Career even If you Haven't Had a Job in Years 12. The One Minute Millionaire 13. Talking From 9 to 5 14. Soloing: Realizing Your Life's Ambitions 15. 101 Best Home Based Businesses for Women: Everything You Need to Know About Getting Started on the Road To Success 16. Work With Passion: How to Do What You Love for a Living. Revised and Expanded 17. Fail-Proof Your Business: Beat the Odds and be Successful 18. Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End 19. Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide 20. Millionaire Women Next Door: The Many Journeys of Successful American Businesswomen 21. Start Small, Finish Big: Fifteen Key Lessons to Start - and Run - Your Own Successful Business 22. Rewired, Rehired or Retired: A Global Guide for the Experienced Worker 23. The Martha Rules: 10 essentials for achieving success as you start, build or manage a business 24. The Essentials of Entrepreneurship: What it takes to create Successful Enterprises 25. Net Ready: Strategies for Success in the E-conomy 26. The Promotable Woman 27. Leave The Office Earlier: The Productivity Pro shows you how to do more in less time and feel great about it 28. The Work At Home Balancing Act: The professional resource guide for managing yourself, your work, and your family at home 29. Secrets of Six-Figure Women


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